Caffeine and Co - Manchester

I don’t drink tea. I didn’t drink coffee until three years ago, when my Dad forced me to drink espresso and eat pastry every morning, when I went to visit him in Italy – it’s ok, I’m a grown-up girl now, it’s not child abuse.

However, since that nerve jangling, stomach griping week, I’ve been getting gradually more and more hooked on the black stuff; there’s a three types of coffee pot in my kitchen, a cafetiere on my desk and I can give you a run-down of the best places to drink coffee in Manchester city centre based on distance from my office/opening hours/coffee styles/cake crumbliness.

Somewhere that’s popped up on my radar in the last few months is Caffeine and Co – I quickly added it to that ever-increasing ‘must try’ list, but I’ve always been too busy/away/running because my train’s delayed, to actually stop by and give them a go.

Why didn’t I go earlier? I don’t know (shakes head at self). Classifies as a true Nosh fave this one – hidden gem, quality coffee, homemade cakes, passionate owners….

Teeny, tiny space, but big and mighty flavours

Popping in to the snug little cubby hole on St James Square (off John Dalton Street), you’re hit by the warm coffee fug and a veritable smorgasbord of tempting cakes and bakes crowding on to the tiny counter. There’s a couple of bench seats if you’re feeling lazy and want to eat/drink in – or you can get a take-out with an extra dose of friendliness.

That miniscule counter carrying their amazing baked goods

Caffeine and Co was set up by Claire and Phil; having spent time in London and Australia, they keenly felt the lack of good quality, coffee shops in Manchester, which concentrate on their bean blends and growing a steady stream of regulars. Realising that the Northern Quarter had one or two very fine establishments already (especially the brilliant North Tea Power); the reasoned they should give other parts of the city centre access to a proper cup of joe. Wise move as they're now on my way to work...

Sourcing their beans from an independent coffee seller in London, they’ve created their distinctive house blend; which is a slightly sweeter, floral, lighter yet complex drink (you don't need sugar for this one). The beans are always fresh and if you can’t get enough of their coffee, you can buy a bag to take home with you.

Proper coffee - put down your mass produced, watery awfulness and go get you one of these

I’m a black Americano girl (as colleagues have banned me from drinking espresso/ranting for half an hour), but there’s more choice than that here! Caffeine and Co have a small, yet perfectly formed list of drinks (try the cortado, a half espresso, half milk shot); but they’ll make you anything you want if you have a hankering for a specific style of coffee.

Cakes are all homemade – you can definitely taste it. Stacked up on the counter, it can be a little daunting to choose, but their ginger cake is light, yet deeply complex – and they make it ten times better by serving thick slices of it smothered in rich, salty butter.

FIT.

You may be rushing about; stressed from the commute/late for a meeting/dreading the presentation you have to give, but take five minutes out, swing by this little hidden gem and start your morning the Caffeine and Co way.

Ps Keep an eye on their Facebook and Twitter to see which delicious cakes they will have on!

Pps There's rumours of big plans for Caffeine and Co, so keep your ear to the ground for news, SOON...

Food – 10/10 (those cakes are flawless)
Atmosphere – 9/10 (warm hustle and bustle)
Service – 9/10 (with a smile and a chat)
Value for money – 8/10 (it’s all about quality)

Total – 36/40

Go again – planning to become a regular

Caffeine and Co, St James Square, Manchester – Facebook – Twitter


Please note, I was given my food and drink for free – but as you know, I’m under no obligation to say anything nice.

Hey Little Cupcake - Spinningfields, Manchester

I'm a girl, but not a very accomplished one; I put makeup on my face (sometimes, but barely take it off), I wear dresses occasionally and now and again I remember to have a hair cut. But that's as far as being a girl goes - no lip gloss, no straighteners, no shopping, no pink - certainly no pink.

So, what was I doing in Hey Little Cupcake - well I was trying out their cakes (and why did you think I was there?) as they've just released the East Coast collection; a set of seven unique flavours inspired by the owner of Hey Little Cupcake's travel throughout the states.

The East Coast Collection - and some pink

Taking influence from a trip up the East Coast, Sarah and the Hey Little Cupcake gang took existing sweet treats and baked goods that are synonymous with places along the route and creatively re-imagined them as cupcakes - pies, tarts and cheesecakes have been cupcaked - and strangely they actually work.

As much as I am a glutton (I put my hand up and admit I can eat 13 crepes in a row) I can't eat seven cupcakes - especially as the Hey Little Cupcakes are quite large (what my mother would term a muffin). Instead I chose the four that sounded most intriguing and scoffed those instead. I'd like to say I had help, but no, I ate them all by myself and didn't even regret it. I even ate the frosting. And I enjoyed them.

My favourite was the Key Lime Pie - light, zesty, sharp and with a buttery biscuit base adding an additional texture contrast. Brilliant. Another wonderfully light cake was the New York Cheesecake; I had thought this would be heavy (as they bake a bit of cheesecake IN the cupcake batter, no I don't know how they achieve that) and overly sweet - but it was all lightness, slight creaminess and a good hint of vanilla without feeling like I was licking soap.

My haul

A little heavier and way more decadent was the Brooklyn black out; a full on chocolate cupcake, with hints of espresso and chocolate frosting - you'd think cocoa overload, but chocolate is my one weakness (well with coffee, cheese, cake, wine...). Struggling, but determined not to be beaten, I finished the binge off with the Boston Cream Pie - sweet vanilla sponge with a custard filling and a custardy frosty; all cut through with an ultra bitter dark chocolate ganache that rescues what could be a sickly sweet cake and balances out the flavours.

Brooklyn Blackout

Yes the place is full of sweet things, cakes and pinkness - but it's balanced like the cakes themselves. The pink is balanced with a profusion of clean lines and white walls, interspersed with eye catching photography from Sarah's travels (it's obvious she doesn't have an eye just for cakes). The staff aren't giggly girls, just down to earth types with a passion for baking and making people's days a little brighter. Even their clientele isn't just girly girls - there were plenty of boys when I went in (and not just the ones forced to stop by with their girlfriends).

See it's not SO pink after all

Hey Little Cupcake is a expression of Sarah's passion and this shows. The cakes don't just look great, they taste fab, all the flavours are balanced, they're not too sweet and there's a big dollop of flair and creativity mixed in to boot. Not surprising seeing as Sarah has ten years of a very successful advertising career behind her and was so dedicated that during the initial pop up opening 18 months ago she was doing 14 hours days, 7 days a week. It's paid off, the shop is busy and what's more she's got the smarts to have big plans for the future and her little cakes, rather than being part of the bandwagon, Hey Little Cupcake the trail leader.

You can get a flavour a day from the East Coast collection all this week - but as a special treat on Friday and Saturday the whole collection will be in the store - so don't miss out!

The flavours are:
Monday: Florida Key Lime Pie. Digestive base with a lime sponge and lime cream frosting


Tuesday: Boston Cream Pie. Vanilla sponge, custard filling and custard buttercream with dark choc ganache

Wednesday: Lady Baltimore Cake. Cherry and raisin sponge topped with meringue frosting and pecans

Thursday: Mississippi Mud Pie. Oreo cookie base, Yorkie pudding filled sponge, topped with chocolate buttercream, fresh cream and chocolate sprinkles.

Friday: New York Cheesecake. Digestive base with vanilla cheesecake sponge topped vanilla cream cheese

Saturday: Brooklyn Blackout. Espresso and dark chocolate sponge filled with a chocolate fudge filling, topped with chocolate buttercream, dark chocolate ganache and chocolate sprinkles.

Sunday: Kentucky Jam Cake. Cinnamon sponge filled with raspberry jam topped with caramel buttercream, cinnamon sprinkles and toffee sauce.

Ps Hey Little Cupcake also run cookery classes, jam making, make wedding cakes, make BIG cakes, do gift certificates and have gluten free cakes in the store every day.

Hey Little Cupcake, Little Quay Street, Spinningfields, Manchester M3 3HF - 0161 832 0260 - hello@heylittlecupcake.co.uk - Twitter

www.heylittlecupcake.co.uk

Please note I was given my cakes for free, but didn't have to write anything nice. KI just really liked the cake and thought Sarah was an inspirational person to talk to.

Gallery Cafe - Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester

Many cultural establishments seem to forget that food is part of our culture; a sensory, thought provoking experience and that it can make or break a day out. There's been many times when, feet aching and tummy rumbling, I've gone in search of respite and been faced with packaged sandwiches, bought in muffins and dishwater coffee: it's as if the cafe is an after-thought, a mere money making addition rather than a proper supporting act.

The Whitworth Art Gallery - with thanks to Donald Rafferty

Manchester's Whitworth Gallery, however, have realised that good food equals a good time and have partnered with The Modern Caterer to provide a bustling, homely space with food so good you'll go there just for the cafe itself. I first came across The Modern Caterer at Joderall Bank's Planet Pavilion, another Manchester University museum (as is The Whitworth Gallery), and was so over joyed by their brilliant food, local sourcing and friendly staff that I couldn't wait to get to The Whitworth.

We'd planned to have lunch first, before looking round the exhibits, but the cafe was rammed with local workers taking advantage of the great eats on their doorstep (there's not much down that way that's actually good, unless you want a curry!). So we pootled round a bit and then came back. Still rammed, but we managed to get a seat in the atrium - however, eagled eyed, we spotted someone paying and found their just vacated table in the main part of the cafe. Much better as you get the full spirit of the place (and there's no draft from the front door) - but the museum may want to lend a few more bits and pieces to jazz up the place; as it's all white walls, slightly too close tables (it's a very small space to be fair) and the Modern Caterer's trademark giant blackboards proclaiming what's in season and what there is to eat.

The bustling Gallery Cafe

As we'd experienced the food before and knew how good it is, we decided we'd share a selection of dishes - they're not too expensive here and the portions are decent. The Whitworth Gallery Cafe is self service, just like their Joderall Bank outfit, so we rocked up to the counter and ordered; there was bit of a wait on the drinks, but the staff were absolutely run off their feet with orders and we were in no rush.

The bruchetta of new season beetroot was massive for the £5.25 we paid for it. There must have been at least four beetroot used (all cut in to wedges) and there was piles of sharp blacksticks blue to cut through the earthy beetroot and the sweet dressing it was wrapped in. A soup of tomato and spring greens was thick and homely, heavy with a good black pepper kick to warm us up (guess what, it was raining) - served with three large slabs of Barbakan bread, this would have been enough for me on my own.

Whoops, we ate all the bruschetta before we could photo it!

Because we're greedy, and because we'd been blown away by it at The Planet Pavilion, we ordered the terrine of local pork. Salty, sweet piggy perfection; the pork was left in large, rustic pieces, giving you a good feel for the texture and flavour of the meat. This was served with a sharp rhubarb compote (last time it was apple, they change the menu to fit the seasons) and more bread, we were stuffed and admitted defeat before we could try any homemade cake - but I did buy some homemade baklava from Peter Booth's son Gabriel, who had a little stall set up selling his own jams and cakes by the door - like father, like son hey?

Tremendous terrine - all products locally sourced, yum!

Manchester University and her various museums seem to have hit upon the winning formula of culture AND food; creating memorable experiences that stimulate all your senses - no wonder the place is rammed most of the time - the food and galleries provide plenty of soul soothing for weary workers, studied out students and cultural tourists alike.

Ps All the food is local, seasonal. sustainable and fair trade - The Modern Grocer is committed to sourcing all the best the North West has to offer and provide wholesome, home cooked food to us all - bless 'em.

Blackboard of seasonality

Price for three small meals and one cup of coffee -

Food - 8/10
Atmosphere - 9/10
Service - 6/10 (it is self-service, but they were rushed off their feet)
Value for money - 7/10 (on the pricier side, but massive portions and quality ingredients)

Total - 30/40

Go again - Yes it's a great place for lunch and a fab little gallery too.

The Modern Caterer at The Gallery Cafe, Whitworth Gallery, Oxford Road, Manchester M15 6ER -
0161 275 7497 - Facebook - Twitter

http://www.themoderncaterer.co.uk/

http://www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk/

Home Sweet Home - Northern Quarter, Manchester

With a name like Home Sweet Home, any outlet will really conjure up certain connotations and expectations; a new(ish) eatery with this very moniker, on Edge Street in Manchester’s ‘artistic’ (read hip, bohemian, twee and overpriced for this statement) Northern Quarter, certainly lives up to this expectation.

A hodge podge of random chairs and tables are fitted into a cosy, light blue and flowery wallpapered space; which is dominated by a large wooden bar, atop of which are piles of enticingly irregular shaped, homemade cakes.

Home Sweet Home with thanks to themselves

Home Sweet Home is very Northern Quarter – the furniture is thrift store mismatched, the typeface on the menu a little Barnum circus circa 1954 and the clientele is the usual mix of fashionably under styled hipsters, vintage inspired 30-somethings and boys in unfashionable (read very fashionable) knitwear.

However; please do not take this as a chintzy, style over substance, Northern Quarter identikit churn out. Our experience at Home Sweet Home was brilliant; the staff friendly and helpful even whilst being rushed off their feet, the food good and actually an alright price for the area (not cheap, but cheaper than some of the other NQ chi chi venues) and they seem to have found their niche rather than following the same old diktat of flowery little cupcakes drowned in buttercream and glitter with funny, dead film star names (no I am not a fan).

Little bro chose the cheese and tomato toastie – what it lacked in tomato (there was only one large piece) it certainly made up in cheese; oozy, warm, full of cheese and a tasty retro treat that sparked a good twenty minute conversation on where our Mum’s toastie maker has gone to and if she would give it to us.

Beer and very full toasties - pinapple and pepper is HSH's trademark garnish,

I liked it a lot, the others thought it a little weird, nice touch I think

I waited a little while for mine, but I had already been warned that the homemade cookies take a full 15 minutes to bake, so I was well prepared (even if it was over 20 when I got them). Out popped my treat halfway through the bro’s food and I’m glad I waited for them. The cookies are made fresh to order, albeit they are the same chocolate chip cookies I can rustle up at home, but as t’boy says ‘it’s always nicer when someone else makes it for you.’ Served with a little glass of whole milk I had fun dipping my cookies in and felt very wholesome and content.

Homemade cookies and milk (it's full fat milk, the way it should be!)

Both treats were a little bit of homespun simplicity that took us back to our early 90s dining table, adding a comforting, calming and homely touch to the end of our day; so very Home Sweet Home indeed. This is a good place to stop from the chaos, sit down and let them take you back to an age where the most important thing in your life was if Stephanie next door would play Thundercats with you or not.

Ps – the coffee is also good here. Not as good as North Tea Power, but certainly a good strong espresso without too much of a bitter tang.

Pps – Home Sweet Home also do takeout, t’boy met us at the end of our family reminiscence and ordered the Cajun chicken with jalapeno and chorizo. It was pricey (£4.40! For a sandwich!), but wonderful – the most filled sandwich I have ever seen; bursting with a dry, smoky, good quality chorizo; a tender, moist mountain of spicy chicken, all followed up with a big jalapeno bang. Really worth it.

Take out sandwich - note the peppered pinapple added as garnish

Pps – Please don’t think I’m anti-Northern Quarter; it’s a unique place offering an alternative to the conforming blandness and corporate greed of the high street. There’s a varied mix of indie traders who really care about their customers and their individual needs. I’m just a little anti 'let’s all do the same food for an expensive price because we can get away with it and someone else sells cupcakes like hotcakes so we should do that too.' Oh, and I’m also very grumpy.

Price for one toastie (£3), homemade cookies with milk (£3), a sandwich (£4.40),
a beer (£3.80) and an espresso (£1.40) – £15.60

Food – 8/10
Atmosphere – 9/10 (even with the hipsters)
Service – 7/10
Value for money – 7/10

Total – 31/40

Go again? Definitely, I need to try out one of their monster looking milkshakes!

Home Sweet Home, Edge Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester M4 1HE –
0161 833 1248 – Twitter

http://www.cheeseburgertoastie.co.uk/

Planet Pavillion - Jodrell Bank, Macclesfield

Located in Jodrell Bank's new visitor centre, with excellent views across to the impressive Lovell radio telescope; the Planet Pavilion Cafe is the latest outpost of the Modern Caterer, a small company headed up by award winning chef Peter Booth, that has sustainability and seasonality as its core.

The Modern Caterer at The Planet Pavilion - with thanks to Relish Publications

Dominated by the large windows focused on the iconic white radio telescope; the cafe is a fresh, modern space with quirky facts along the walls and lines of clocks displaying various space related times such as the time on Venus and in a black hole (with handy explanations for the non-physicists underneath). There's the ubiquitous blackboard you find in many little cafes with piles of fresh veg underneath and heaps of homemade cakes on the counter.

Views out to the Lovell radio telescope - with thanks to Manchester University

The menu is a mixture of usual lunchtime fare; sandwiches, soups, wraps and whatever. It's was a bustling little space, even on a wet Tuesday afternoon and whilst we were there it was obvious that staff from Manchester University's Astrophysics Department often pop in. And who wouldn't?

Dishes displayed a simplistic elegance and a genuine care for the ingredients involved; the daily special of parsnip soup was creamy yet light, with a sweet whisper of sharp apple underlying the whole dish. Alongside was bread supplied by (fairly) local bakery, Barbakan of Chorlton - and, considering how much their loaves cost, there was a substantial amount of one on the side of the plate.

Parsnip soup and loads of bread

Potted Cheshire Pork (the meat supplied by award winning WH Frosts - also of Chorlton) was wonderfully soft and surrounded by the lovely, scrumptious fat and topped with the sharpest slivers of apple - a brilliant essay in why salty, sweet and sour works so well together. Could have done with a little more seasoning, but that was my only gripe.

Potted Cheshire Pork

We followed these tasty, simple lunch dishes with a full five minutes considering the distortion of space time round the hefty body of homemade cakes on offer. After much deliberation we chose a light and fragrant orange and poppy seed plus a dense and chewy brownie, which were eaten in three seconds flat; proving the point that space time does indeed slow down and then speed up round heavenly bodies.

Cakes - look boring, tasted fab

The Planet Pavilion is a great cafe for a museum, or for anywhere to be honest. There's no pre-packaged sandwiches; there's the excellent cooking; there's large portions, there's sensible pricing and there's an obvious commitment to deliver good tasting, sustainable food in line with their ethos rather than simply using it as a catchy and on-trend byline. I wish other establishments would take a leaf from Jodrell and realise overcharging for plastic crap is something that should only happen in the gift shop.

Ps - The Planet Pavilion Cafe also has a licence and serves Cains, so you can calm your nerves if contemplating the universe gets too much.

Pps - you don't have to visit Jodrell to go to the cafe; but I'd recommend it, just for a walk around the massive grounds and to stand by the radio telescope and pretend you're Brian Cox or (even better) Sir Patrick Moore.

Cost for two dishes, two cakes and a beer: £14.75

Food - 8/10
Service - 7/10
Atmosphere - 7/10
Vale for money - 9/10

Total - 31/40

Go again? Yes, any excuse for sustainable, well cooked food AND learning about astrophysics. I'm there!

The Modern Caterer at The Planet Pavilion, Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, Lower Withington, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK11 9DL (sat navs use SK11 9DW) - 01477 571766 - jodrell.visitor.centre@machester.ac.uk

http://www.themoderncaterer.co.uk/

Clandestine Cake Club @ Bean and Brush Cafe, Sale

Another month, another excuse to meet up with the lovely ladies of Manchester's clandestine cake club and another excuse to eat cake because "it's good to try other people's recipes in the aid of gastronomic research." Yeah...er...

Cakes - before sampling

This time we were hosted by the quirky Bean and Brush Art Cafe, set in the centre of Sale; it's a revelation in do-it-yourself arts and would be a brilliant place to take the kids. If I had any. Never fear as there is plenty of great coffee, food and beer action that also makes this a wonderful place for the adults to hang out too (and you can join in the arts too if you like!). Indeed their coffee is very good and the staff are very friendly. The menu looks good for a light bite or spot of lunch too - it's kid friendly enough without being overly patronising to the little people.

Bean and Brush Art Cafe - with thanks to Gumtree

This month's Clandestine Cake Club theme was Fruit and Veg and this gave me the opportunity to, not only stuff my face with some very unusual cakes (courgette, sweet potato, avocado and pumpkin all made an appearance); but to bake my very favourite cake; my fall guy, my stand in, my back up, the cake I know works every time and always tastes fab.

Courgette, Cinnamon and Walnut Cake

As I was once again accompanying the talented, but dietary restricted, Pin Ups in Pinnies; I was inspired to create another gluten and dairy free cake. Instead of inventing my own this time (see my last CCC post for an invented recipe); I stuck to something tried and tested and just tweaked it to suit my, or rather Alex's, requirements.

Alex of Pin Ups in Pinnies and my 'muse' for the cake

The cake in question is Nigel Slater's Beetroot Seed Cake, which runs along the traditional type lines of a carrot cake but so much lighter, fragrant and full of an earthy sweetness from the beetroots. It's never let me down and do you know what? Even with the gluten free tweaks the cake shone through and I felt it was generally appreciated by all who tasted it; plus the gluten free flour retained the brilliant, vivid purple of the beetroot that is usually lost when combined with 'normal' flour.

Wheat and dairy free Beetroot Seed Cake

Don't wait to have a glut of beetroots for this one, it's too good not to be baked straight away!

Beetroot Seed Cake - gluten and dairy free
Feeds: 8-10 slices
Prep: 20 min Bake: 55 min

225g gluten free self raising flour - I use Dove Farm's blend
1/2 tsp cinnamon
180ml light olive oil
225g light muscavado sugar/soft light brown sugar
3 eggs - separated
200g raw beetroot - grated coarsely
Juice of half a lemon (a big one)
100g mixed seeds (I used pumpkin and sunflower)

For the icing:
8 tbsp icing sugar
lemon juice or orange blossom water
poppy seeds

1. Set the oven to 180c/gas mark 4 and grease and line a 2ld loaf tin.

2. Beat the egg whites; be sure there's no oil/fat in the bowl or on the mixer. The idea with the gluten free cake is to get as much air in as possible, so start off on the lowest setting and work up. Beat to soft peaks. Set to one side.

3. I another bowl beat the sugar and the oil together.  Then introduce one lightly beaten egg yolk at a time. With both the sugar/oil and the eggs, work through your mixer speeds to combine as much air as possible. You need to spend a good five minutes working on this stage.

4. In a food processor coarsely grate the beetroot (or use the coarse side of a box grater), then add to the mixture with the lemon juice and the seeds. Fold in carefully, trying not to knock the air out. Don't worry, it will look mostly like beetroot and not much else right now.

5. Fold in the flour and cinnamon, again being careful.

6. Fold in the beaten whites with a metal spoon (so not to knock the air out) and the pour your quite wet and very pink mixture into the lined tin.

7. Pop in the oven for about 50-55 mins. After about 35 mins pop a tin foil cap on the cake so the top doesn't burn. It's ready when it springs back on being touched and a skewer comes out clean. As gluten free flour is slightly thirsty, be careful not to overcook.

8. Take the cake out of the oven and let it cool in the tin.

9. When cool, make the icing; you'll need about 3tsp lemon juice/blossom water, but just add as you go, then add about 30g poppy seeds. You want the icing to be wet enough to drip down the sides of the cake.

Enjoy!

Ps You can add raisins as well if you like. Only use 50g of seeds and add in 50g of raisins.

Bean and Brush Art Cafe, The Old Sorting Office, 12 Hayfield Street, Sale, M33 7XW - 0161 973 2140 - michelle@beanandbrush.co.uk - Twitter

http://beanandbrush.co.uk/

Teacup and Cakes - Manchester

Sometimes the best things in life are the most simple. No faff, no pretence and therefore no mess ups. This is the philosophy of Teacup and Cakes' new evening menu; now offered on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays in the hip eatery that usually serves tea, cake and soup during the day.

Teacup and cakes - with thanks to The Local Data Company

There's not much to the menu - pick your meatball; fear not veggies, there's halloumi ones - for the pescaterians there's prawn. Then you pick your carb - there's the usual spaghetti or mash, but there's also some unusual options including haricot beans and wild rice.

So you've got you meat, you've got your carbs. What else? It's just sauce choosing now and then you're done. (Well, you could choose a starter, a side or a pudding if you wanted to...)

Mixing traditional with something a bit new, I ordered the beef meatballs with tomato sauce and the haricot ragu. The meatballs were full of flavour, succulent and a good texture. Teacup are obviously procuring good quality produce here. Same story for the sauce; thick and full bodied, no watery pap in sight.

And the unusual bean ragu? It was alright, needed some seasoning and was a bit dry; but after I mixed the tomato around the beans and coated them, it brought out the pleasing fresh, chalkiness of the beans and the slightly crunchy texture played well against the soft give of the meatballs and the smoothness of the sauce.

The lamb meatballs were lovely and warming; Moroccan flavouring spicing things up with a comforting, yet exciting fragrance. The spaghetti that accompanied was cooked al dente. A simple meal, but the marriage of such good quality ingredients with some conscientious cooking provided a happy and filling experience.

Teacup and Cakes keeps it usual raft of fresh, home baked cakes available into the evening service, so we ended our meal with a very delicious vanilla cheese cake. As we cut in to the smooth filling, a surprise caramel liquid flooded out from a reservoir under the surface of the cake.

Cheesecake with the surprise caramel inside!

Teacup and Cakes has taken a concept, pared it down to it's simplest minimum and in doing so has created a refreshing change to the  dining scene in Manchester. If there'd been one more meatball per serving and the cakes weren't so damn expensive, it would have been as close to perfect as you could get.

Ps - Can't fit a cake in but want something sweet? Teacup and Cake make their own chocolate truffles in the store. The dark chocolate and rosemary or the milk chocolate and anise are well worth the £1 (each!) that they're charging. Good quality chocolate has been expertly mixed with subtle flavours that compliment the cocoa rather than overwhelming. Go on, treat yourself!

Handmade truffles

Pps - Teacup and Cakes has a bring your own policy and no corkage, so make sure you remember your own bottle (there's a couple of corner shops up the road if you do forget - ask the staff and they'll point you in the right direction).

Price for three meatball dishes (mains), one cake and five handmade chocolates: £40.45

Food - 8/10
Service - 8/10
Atmosphere - 7/10
Value for money - 7/10

Total - 29/40

Go again - yes I would. The food and the service were spot on. £11 for meatballs is a little steep, but when they're that well cooked it doesn't really matter.

Tea and Cupcakes, 55 Thomas Street, Manchester M4 1NA - 0161 832 3233 - eat@teaandcupcakes.com - Twitter - Facebook

www.teacupandcakes.com

Clandestine Cake Club - North Star Deli, Chorlton

Cake, cake, cake. What's better than cake? How about 22 cakes? How about 22 cakes and 25 people talking about cake. How about 22 cakes and 25 people talking about cakes AND you get to eat the cakes for FREE and take the leftover cake home with you?

Cakes galore!

Welcome to the world of the Clandestine Cake Club, a group of like-minded individuals that meets up at secret locations and chats cakes once a month.

As I'm a cake club newbie and consider myself an amateur cake baker at most, I roped in both Pin Ups in Pinnies founder Fanny Divine, and the ever delectable Welsh Wonder to accompany me to North Star Deli in Chorlton; the venue for this month's meeting of the Manchester branch of this erstwhile gathering.

There's no restriction to the type of cake you can bake, apart from that it has to be 'big' (no cupcakes, cookies etc) and that it adheres to the club's theme - this month's being British Summer. After deciding that a drizzle cake would only serve to remind people of yet another wash out, the inspiration for the bake was that other bastion of summer time; afternoon tea.

In preparation for the club, countless books were consulted but no recipes jumped out. As well as representing the British Summer theme the idea that the cake should be inclusive to people like Fanny Divine who is wheat and dairy intolerant, appealed. From this idea it was decided to create my own recipe. Dairy free was not the issue as I commonly replace butter with light olive oil when baking - however wheat free was a new horizon.

Much testing ensued to ensure the cake would taste of tea and rise; wheat free flour doesn’t rise as well and is sweeter, until the boy held up his hands and bid me never to bake another wheat free earl grey cake for him. EVER. Or face the consequences.

The day of Clandestine Cake Club arrived; the recipe was watertight, but disaster struck. After rigorous cake testing, the filling was just to be a simple layer of soya sour cream, therefore untested - don't buy this product, in sight and taste it is akin to white acrylic paint. After grating in some lemon to mask the cloying chemical taste, the natural oils ceased the sour cream to set and it melted out of the cake. On trying to remove the top to take out the filling, it cracked. Disaster.

If this doesn't scream summer then I don't know what does

However the lovely people of Clandestine Cake Club invited my cake with open arms and devoured it (or took it home). There was no snobbery, people seemed genuinely happy to see my slightly deformed cake and chatted away to me regarding the recipe and the inspiration to create something wheat and dairy free.

So whilst news that London was burning and the yobs of Manchester geared themselves for a night of looting; we sipped drinks and discussed the mojito cake, the fab lolly cake, a New Zealand yellow cake, someone’s courgette and chamomile creation and the amount of cakes with berries on. Sometimes all it takes is a bake to bring you together and remember to take time out of the day for others and yourselves.

Yum! (ps this was seconds!)

If you want to get in on some lovely cake action with some great people; please refer to the Clandestine Cake Club website, email Gwyneth or check out the VintageTs or ClandestineCake twitter. Don't despair if you don't live in Manchester; there's many a Clandestine Cake clubs across the UK - it's a cake baking phenomenon.

Ps - thanks to Danielle Ferguson Bespoke and Design Dressmaking for saving the day and giving me some white ribbon (for FREE) to hide the cake disaster that was the melting filling.


Earl Grey Cake (wheat and dairy free)
Makes 1 x 21 cm cake - I made two cakes and sandwiched them together

Ingredients
4 x earl grey teabags (you need quality, I used Twinings)
80ml boiling water
80ml light olive oil
3 large free range eggs
160g unrefined caster sugar
190g Doves Farm wheat free self raising flour
Pinch of salt

Six lemons
250g icing sugar
Soya margarine

1. Preheat the oven to 180c (fan) and grease (with oil) a 21cm springform cake tin

2. Separate the yolks and the white, placing in them in separate large bowls

3. Boil the kettle, add 80ml and one teabag to small bowl/mug and put to one side

4. Empty the contents of the other three teabags into a pestle and mortar, add a pinch of salt and grind to as small as possible

5. Whisk the whites until just before stiff peaks and put aside

6. Beat the eggs with a fork until just combined (literally a minute), then beat in the sugar in four separate amounts. Start with the motor running slow and as you add more sugar, work up the settings until on high (this incorporates as much as possible and air is integral to this cake). Should go pale and sticky.

7. Drizzle in the oil using the same technique as step 6.

8. Take out the teabag and squeeze as much out as you can. Add the ground up tea to the tea/water and mix in together. Beat into the eggs/sugar/oil using technique in step 6. Make sure all the tea leaves in the small bowl/mug end up in the big bowl.

9. Keep whisking for a few mins, you need as much air as possible in this cake.

10. Sieve in the flour and fold in carefully with a wooden spoon until incorporated.

11. Add 1/3 of the eggs and fold in with a metal spoon or spatula (wooden spoons knock out the air) until mixed in - repeat two more times until all mixed in carefully (don't leave massive bits of egg white as they look/taste weird in your cake)

12. Pour in to tin; the mixture will be a little more liquid than a usual cake batter, but not uber runny. Knock gently to release and big air bubbles and then pop in to oven.

13. Bake for roughly 30-35 mins until the top is golden, the cake springs back and a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin.

Repeat all the steps above to make the second layer of the cake. Whilst they are cooling beat two big spoons of soya margarine with half of the icing sugar. Grate in the peel of three lemons and mix together until the right consistency (adding more icing sugar/marg as needed) and spread between the two layers. (This isn't what I put in my cake, but what I should have).

Make the icing by combing icing sugar and the juice of one lemon - make up the right consistency and then pour over the cake and leave to set.

Enjoy with a cup of Earl Grey with a slice of lemon in the dappled light of a tree, feeling the light summer breeze on your face. Or, more usual for Britain, in a warm kitchen imaging summer.

Wheat and dairy free Earl Grey Cake - with thanks to VintageTs for the photo



VintgeTs

North Tea Power - Manchester

Tucked away in Manchester's Northern Quarter, sandwiched between a skate shop and a terrible bar which usually smells of sick on a Friday night is a new gem in Manchester's coffee house compendium.

North Tea Power is a small shop decked out in light wood, with small tables and and a large communal table in the middle. Soothing modern folk music can just be heard over the click of locals' keyboards and the quiet murmur of tea and coffee enthusiasts. The look is effortless and the feeling is relaxed and friendly.

North Tea Power - with thanks to city spy Manchester

Initially North Tea Power just served tea, coffee and cakes - they've lately added food and now alcohol to that mix. We've been popping in for a while and I thought it was about time I shared my little secret with you guys.

I have no idea about tea; but the boy tells me that the have a varied and interesting loose leaf range and provide such oddities as the tespresso and marmalade tea (tea with marmalade in obvs! - based on a drink the proprietors had whilst travelling in Asia). Served in glass french press cafetieres the teas look beautiful and (apparently) taste great.

It's the coffee that I'll shout about. North Tea Power serve the only macchiato I can drink without sugar - the roast is mellow, sweet and not at all bitter. They've stolen the coffee crown from Teacup for me and I'll always pop in when I have the time.

Cakes and bakes are sourced from a family bakers in local Chorlton that have been going since the end of the 19th century. I've eaten my way through a few baked delights (in the name of gastronomic research, of course!), but the one I go back for every time is the florentine. Densely nutty with candied fruit dotted across its surface, the florentine is coated in a thick, buttery toffee  and supported by the thickest dark chocolate base I have come across (I've come across many florentines in my time...). Divine, utterly sinful and will definitely brighten up any bad day, ever.

Flapjack picture as I ate all the florentine before I could take a picture!

Last time we popped in the boy tried the homemade red onion soup - it was well made and well seasoned. The soup was also thick enough to be substantial unlike some onion soups slopped out elsewhere. I tried the three bean and feta sandwich and have to say I'm glad I made the choice.

Served on a crisp ciabatta the sandwich was stuffed with beans with a pleasant bite, intermingled with salty spikes of feta and all covered in a delicious parsley/garlic/lemon/olive oil dressing. Lip-smackingly good and fresh as the spring rain to boot.

Prices aren't expensive, but they aren't the cheapest either. Sandwiches are around the £3.50 mark and cakes range between £1-£3.50ish, so follow other establishments in the area. However where some places can be accused of jumping on the Northern Quarter pricing bandwagon, North Tea Power's conscientious sourcing, friendly and very informative service and quality products makes them stand out from the rest.

North Tea Power is a great places for breakfast (they have muesli and toast and things), lunch or a quiet moment to reflect, collect yourself or just have some me time. My only worry is now I've let you in on my little secret I won't be able to get a seat the next time I need to reflect and collect (or quench my florentine addiction)!

Ps - if you like your drinks that much, North Tea Power does loose leaf tea and pour over beans to take away.

Pps - North Tea Power can be a little hard to find - it's located on a raised row of shops opposite the multi-story car park and up from Afflecks.

Food - 7/10
Atmosphere - 9/10
Service - 9/10
Value for money - 7/10

Total - 32/40

North Tea Power, 36 Tib Street, Manchester M4 1LA - 0161 833 3073 - info@northteapower.co.uk
@northteapower http://www.northteapower.co.uk/

Join Us 4 Supper - North Star Deli, Chorlton

Last weekend I lost my virginity, that of the supper clubs that is and was lucky enough that my first one was a launch event for JoinUs4Supper at the North Star Deli in Chorlton.

North Star Deli - with thanks to the wonderful Christelle Vaillant, ace photographer and foodophile

The theme of the night was local food - as anyone will know I'm an avid supporter of local produce, local suppliers and few food miles, so this was right up my street. And the fact that I had won a ticket to attend was an added bonus (I never win anything so it really was an added bonus - tho somehow I ended up paying half for the the boy's ticket as well...not sure this is how winning usually works).

Arriving early we were greeted in the warmest manner by staff and other diners who had just arrived. The delightful aspect of a supper club is that once you're all in the door's closed, you're sat with people you may not know and you're all there for one thing - good food. I suppose the atmosphere is the same as in a liferaft, you talk to those you are unfamiliar with and weather the good times and the storms together. Thankfully there were no storms at North Star, unless you count the tsunamis of taste that assaulted by taste buds at every step!

Join Us 4 Supper Menu

North Star Deli is bright and fresh; white walls with clever signage, products on display and spaced apart tables. The feeling is welcoming and fresh; would sooth a hangover or perk you up on your commute to work (conveniently they are right next to the shiny new metro stop).

First course was a Mediterranean fish soup with rouille - the fish was supplied by local monger 'Out of the Blue' who are all about sustainability (soup included hake, pollock, clams and mussels) and spanking fresh, good quality produce. Support local and pay them a visit!

Soup-erb!

The fish soup was thick and tomatoey, really reduced and full of flavour. Thankfully sweet and not at all tinny (as some over reduced tomatoes can become). Packed with large lumps of fish this was as much as I'd usually eat for my dinner and it was only the first course. We were warned by chef Deanna that the rouille that accompanied the soup would blow us away (one chef wouldn't taste it as he had a date later!) and she sure was right. However the rouille was sweet and mellow without the harsh, metallic garlic twang that is characteristic of something under prepared.

Mains followed shortly with an introduction by local butcher Lee Frost; the boy was over the moon as not only was he sitting next to him (Northern men bonding over meat talk=good), but the lamb on the table had been slaughtered in Oldham. Lee knows his stuff and was really engaging, he explained the cuts of lamb being served, provenance (Cheshire) and other meaty facts. It was great to be able to meet the producer and heartwarming that North Star invite the suppliers and make them a central part of the evening.

Local butcher Lee Frost - man of meat

The lamb itself was cooked amazingly - well rested, meltingly tender, beautifully seasoned Dijonnaise crust and the quality of the meat shone through. The garlic and broad bean puree served alongside complimented expertly, singing with the sweet notes of the lamb.

Super succulent lamb

What was pudding? Well what else could it have been on a local food night? We were served magnificent slices of Manchester Tart with vimto sauce. The team had the foresight to lighten the serving and used an almost liquid creme anglaise rather than a set custard. This was cut through with the addition of the new season's sharp raspberries - yum!

All this was followed up by some of North Star Deli's famous coffee (rich and fruity) and THE best salted caramel macaroons - so squidgy and delicious! Luckily the boy didn't like his so I got two, bliss.

Maccaroons of doom - get some today!

North Star doesn't only do wonderful supper clubs featuring the best local produce and suppliers, they're also open from 8am everyday to sell you coffee, cake, teas, lovely food, smashing products and wonderful teapots. They're also right next to the new Chorlton metrolink, so all you townies can easily sample the delights.

I managed to grab a quick word with chef Deanna Thomas (who owns North Star with her brothers):

How come you set up the supper club?

We’ve become fascinated with social media and how the food world has embraced it. It’s been a perfect platform for the supper club movement based primarily in London but filtering outwards. Despite Manchester being the second city in terms of social media, we’ve been relatively slow on the uptake in this area. The Spice Club has been doing a wonderful one for a while now and there are monthly gourmet events such as Gastroclub, Guestrant at Elektrik and Gourmet night at the Mark Addy. Our deli can seat 30 people comfortably and is available for events in the evening so we thought we’d start a supper club with a different theme every month.

How did the supper club start?

I did a tester on St Patrick’s day in March and it worked really well. Lots of different people including food bloggers came to meet and chat and there was a really unique atmosphere you don’t get in restaurants.

Why did you choose local food as your first theme?

We feel very privileged in Chorlton, people here are really supportive of local independent businesses and smaller events. We love the way we were so welcomed back in 2003 by other local businesses and we wanted our first event to recognise this.

As well as coming from a long line of butchers, Frost is an expert in his field and a very funny man which made for a great evening. Sustainable fish is a hot issue at the moment and we wanted Dave from Out of the blue to come along and champion some of the lesser known fish and give us some advice on buying and cooking seasonally. Unfortunately he couldn't make it, but we're sure he'll be at one in the future!

And finally why is supper club important and what does it offer that other restaurants don't?

Supper club is one thing that can be done by independents rather than the big bully supermarkets.

North Star Deli's supper club runs every month so follow their blog/site/twitter/facebook to find out more.

Supper club tickets are priced at £25pp for three courses - if you book early you get petis fours and coffee thrown in too - bargain!

Food - 8/10
Atmosphere - 10/10
Service - 8/10
Value for money - 9/10

Total - 37/40

North Star Deli, 418 Wilbraham Road, Manchester M21 0SD - 0161 862 0133 - @JoinUs4Supper